Re: Vacuum.

Check out EZ-Vac at www.bluebirdintl.com and Trac-Vac at www.trac-vac.com. Another brand is Giant Vac, but their website doesn't provide much information (www.giant-vac.com). I have had good experiences with both EZ-Vac and Trac-Vac 8 horsepower units. I currently use an EZ-Vac that has both chipper and shredder capabilities. The shredder is a set of internal pivoted flail knives that process the incoming materials through a grate similar to the design of a Hammer-Mill. It reduces the volume very significantly. The chipper is useful for smaller branches and limbs. The Trac-Vac is available with a chipper but not a shredder.

Re: Vacuum.

Found the best pine cone picker-upper on the market. Had a family reunion at the house with about 15 of my kids cousins age 7-13. offered them $.01 per pine cone $ .25 for a galvanized bucket full. 1 hr, 2000 pine cones, $20.00 later I had to stopped them. They had cleared my front 3 acres and had started on the neighbors,( didn't want to pay to clean his yard). Kids had a blast and I had enough fire starter for the next millenium . Best $20 I every spent.
Reg in SC

Re: Vacuum.

Paul, can you give any more info on your's (maybe pic's) ? I have a 3PT bagger with a 5hp vacumn that attaches to my mower deck, and I've been contemplating some kind of vacumn head that I could attach to my FEL - sure would be nice to pick up leaves, etc. in places where I don't won't to mow! I'd also like to convert my vacumn to PTO powered - I have a lot more PTO hp available, and in addition I wouldn't have to start the litte Honda engine that currently runs it. My wife also likes to use the tractor, but she has artificial shoulder joints, so obviously not having to pull the starter rope would be a big benefit. Any info you can give would be appreciated - TIA.

Re: Vacuum.

Mine is made by Ingersoll. It mounts behind the tractor, and kicks off to the side towards the mower deck. Every thing on the Ingersoll's is powered by hydraulics, except the mower deck. The motor drives a hydro pump and the transaxle are powered be a hydro motor. I t does not have a PTO, but it has what they call a hydraulic PTO to run implements. Works good, but stuff is pricey. The blower unit looks like most other vacs I have seen. But instead of a gas engine, there is a small hydraulic motor. I do not have any pictures yet, but when I get some I will send them along.

Re: Vacuum.

garydlk,
There was a thread on this subject w/pictures I believe in November,for a gentelman foward the info also the prices on the new and used.. $$$ [img]/w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif[/img]..

I to have been searching for a vacuum & sheddar type w/a engine close in dump cart or wagon,but my needs are for pine cones & twigs..no luck yet,so I'm still useing the armstrong equipment. [img]/w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif[/img]

Re: Vacuum.

Reg,
A penny a cone..now thats a good idea, and what the going price for twigs and small branches,for I have lot to pick up from these last two ice storms plus high winds. [img]/w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif[/img]

I bet the mothers were a tad [img]/w3tcompact/icons/blush.gif[/img] when they saw the pine pitch from the cones on the kids hands.

Re: Vacuum.

Thomas,

Just found this site (it's great!) yesterday and looked through all the messages but I'll look again for the thread you referenced. Thankfully, my problem is mostly leaves.

Similar to the diagram on the trac-vac website, it should be possible to jury-rig even a light gas-powered blower/vac/shredder in between my bagger discharge chute and a trailer. Oh well, I've got 'til next Fall to work on it -- higher priority is buying a new garden tractor!